What I’ve Been Listening To: Atlas Franklin Alexander

Atlas Franklin Alexander has made a comeback with his newest single ‘Crave‘, after releasing his debut EP in 2021. The song was produced, mixed and mastered by Atlas himself in his home studio in Newcastle, showcasing his indie production prowess across the nearly four-minute offering.

https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1464602161

‘Crave’ delivers offbeat, syncopated bass lines and resolute drums, while angular guitars form the foundation of the song, and vocoder-laced vocals entrance with hook-laden melodies, breaking out into kaleidoscopic, reverb-soaked choruses. Atlas manages to strike a balance between sorrow and elation, reminiscent of post-punk icons like The Cure and New Order. The inspiration behind ‘Crave’ came from Atlas’s tinkering around in his DIY studio, with the chord progression on his acoustic guitar and the vocal hook recorded on his phone.

The music video for ‘Crave’ is a DIY effort, directed by Atlas himself and shot across New South Wales’ Hunter Valley with the help of many friends. The video features a picturesque film of landscapes and tells an open-to-interpretation storyline that conveys the feeling of craving something or someone and trying to obtain the unobtainable.

Atlas’s attention to detail in both the song and the video makes ‘Crave’ great addition, and Atlas took some time out to answer questions for Eat This Music as part of the latest “What I’ve Been Listening To” series, which you can read below.

Who is ATLAS FRANKLIN ALEXANDER and how did the namesake come about?

My actual name is Pete! Atlas Franklin Alexander has much more of a ring to it wouldn’t you agree? I had a bunch of random names all written down in a list, I wanted a 3-part name. I interchanged a million different names until I came to AFA.

What artists or bands are on your must-listen to list lately and why?

I’ve been listening every single day without fail to this band called YinYin. Do yourself a favour and check out ‘the rabbit that hunts tigers’ record. It is a blend of psychedelic, disco, and Thai oriental Asian flavours. I can’t really tell you exactly why I can’t stop listening to it, it’s just exceptionally fantastic.

When you go into the recording studio to work on new material, what are your must-haves?

An absolute must before heading into the recording studio for me is a stop at a 7-Eleven servo. 2 x extra-large $3 coffees, you know, the ones with the weird soggy cardboard lids that come off every time you take a sip? Another must from 7-Eleven is one of those $6 egg and lettuce sandwiches along with a packet of cheese Twisties. By themselves, eating these two items aren’t such a big deal, but once the Twisties are added to the sandwich – all your wildest dreams come true.

Which song, or songs, of yours would you recommend to a first-time listener and why?

I’d have to recommend my newest release ‘crave’. It’s because my favourite track to recommend to someone is always my newest track. ‘crave’ has got that early 80’s band feel, super melodic vocals with a new age spin on the overall sound. The music video ties into the song as well.

Which song of someone else’s (artist or band) would you have liked to feature on and why?

I’m going to have to go with any track off YinYin’s record ‘the rabbit that hunts tigers’. Most of the record is instrumental. I’d love to have a crack at throwing some vocal melodies around. The why is that I’m just obsessed with this band.

What led you into using music as your creative outlet, and keeps you making music?

I’ve always written and recorded music from a super young age. Something about making music that you and you only have created is super appealing to me. Listening back to a song that you’ve spent months on trying to make as refined as possible and hearing it all finally coming together is one of my favourite things to do. Bloody love it!